Meet Deanna Rashell | Actress & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deanna Rashell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deanna, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?

For Actors, a lot of people say that you need to have a lot of training before you  even start auditioning. I actually disagree with that, you do need to know how to audition and you should know some basics of filming like how to hit your mark, etc, know the film terms, etc., so you should have some basic training, but you should start auditioning as soon as possible for student films and independent films so that you can gain experience on set. Being in the classroom is very different than being on an actual film set & there’s really no other way to get experience other than booking films. I do advise Actors to work as an “extra” a few times before they start booking if possible because then you can observe & learn, but don’t just work as an extra, make sure you are watching and asking questions if it’s possible, look at the cameras, look at the actors, watch what they do, listen to the Director, learn the different positions that you are interacting with, this will give you a strong base, so that when you do book a role, you’ll know what you’re doing on a movie set.

And if you are not booking, than start creating! Write a few 3-5 page scripts, get some people together and make your own movie, starring you, this will give you so much experience in many different aspects of filmmaking and it will make you a stronger actor.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

One thing that sets me apart is that I work on many aspects in the filmmaking business. My primary role is in front of the camera performing, but I also write, produce, edit and direct. Sometimes I work on set design, organizing schedules, coordinating the production, working on the budget or making sure we don’t go over budget, etc.

I often find myself creating my own projects where I’m directing and working as a leading actress, that can be extremely challenging on lower budgets and can be confusing for some of the crew to have me flipping in & out of posts, giving them direction as a Director but then also being the actress, so in order to pull that off it’s very important to find the right team.

Finding the right crew to operate, those types of productions is very challenging & can be a bit hectic. I have actually only had a few of my projects go very very smooth where the crew can handle me wearing more than one hat at a time. Some Cinematographers, Directors or Producers just do not like to have the actress flip the switch and become the Director or Production Manager, so you have to find the right balance.

Most things in this business are not easy, every once in a while, you have a break, and something is very easy and things just are awesome, but often times you have to work really hard, you have to go through a lot of rejection and as an actor you get more rejection probably than any other person in any other type of job that I can think of. As a Filmmaker, you have a lot to learn! The ole catch 22 is that you need to raise money but you also need to show how you’re going to pay back your investors & without a distribution deal showing how much money are going to make, you can’t really show your investors exactly how they’re going to get their money back. So you have to make connections, like with any other business, you have to make and build connections at many different levels.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are some really great restaurants in Buckhead that we would hit up, then we’d go to the Chateau Elan where they filmed parts of Ozark, for wine tasting, dinner & cigars and we’d be sure to hit some of the beautiful waterfalls and lakes in Georgia.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would have to say that i have met & worked with some really great actors and creatives along the way that have definitely contributed to my success, and I couldn’t have booked some of the roles or won the awards without their help and input!

Website: www.DeannaRashell.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannarashell/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannarashell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeannaRashell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Deanna.Rashell.Actress.Director

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTKEoQHSvxpoA7MqHXLOk9g

Other: www.OutlookProductions.net https://www.tiktok.com/@deannarashell https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2840457/

Image Credits
I have the rights to all images